1. Field of the Invention
The invention, according to the preamble of claim 1, relates to a machine having a type plate as a carrier for written and/or graphical information, which at the same time is combined with an electronic storage device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Machines are provided by the manufacturer with a permanently fixed type or rating plate, on which important information is noted, most often in addition to the designation of the manufacturer and, if appropriate, a type designation, amongst other information the date of manufacture, a machine number and relevant rating data, such as current consumption, output power or rotational speed. The data is most often applied to the type plate in an indestructible script, for example by embossing or engraving. A bar code for the non-contact registration of the data by means of laser scanners can also be provided.
It is also already known to provide machines with memories which, in the course of the use of the machine, store relevant operating or rating data, such as the running time, rotational speeds and loadings. These memories are connected mechanically to the power supply of the machine and, depending on the design configuration of the machine, are arranged at locations which respectively appear to be suitable.
The data contained in such memories supplements the information on the rating plates in an advantageous way, since the information on the rating plate describes the condition of the machine at the time of its fabrication, while the stored data is suitable for supplying information about the operation of the machines after its fabrication, such as the running time, rotational speeds and loading.
Starting from the idea that it is precisely this additional information which accumulates during the operating time of the machine which proves to be particularly useful when a relatively large pool of machines has to be looked after and maintained, including, for example, companies which lease or lend machines, it was perceived as disadvantageous that there is no standard rule as to where such memories have to be arranged on the machine and how the data is to be read in and out, so that in each case specific knowledge and, if appropriate, aids are required in order to gain access to the data.
EP-A-0 534 559 discloses a chip card having a storage device without its own power supply, which has a separate input for data transmission signals generated in an apparatus and an input/output for the non-contact output and input of data with devices, the storage device being suitable for receiving the operating power required to read into and out of the memory, as well as that required for storage, without mechanical coupling, in a non-contacting manner, from the devices during operation.
Furthermore, EP-A-0 754 406 discloses a transponder earmark for the electronic identification of animals, and FR-A-2 717 593 discloses a plate to be fitted to containers for both the visual and the electronic identification of containers, for example with regard to their content, their origin or their intended location.